Taliban vow to target Afghan presidential election

KABUL- The Taliban today vowed to target Afghanistan´s presidential election, urging their fighters to attack polling staff, voters and security forces before the April 5, 2014 vote to choose a successor to Hamid Karzai. "We have given orders to all our mujahideen to use all force at their disposal to disrupt these upcoming sham elections, to target all workers, activists, callers, security apparatus and offices," the Taliban said in an emailed statement. "It is the religious obligation of every Afghan to fulfill their duty by foiling the latest plot of the invaders that is guised in the garb of elections." Billions of dollars have been spent on military operations and development in Afghanistan, but the country remains wracked by poverty and violence with weak government structures and a fragile economy dependent on aid cash. "We once again call on all of our countrymen to keep away from electoral offices, voting booths, rallies and campaigns so that may Allah forbid, their lives are not put into danger," the Taliban said. "If anyone still persist in participating then they are solely responsible for any loss in the future. Previous Afghan elections have been badly marred by violence, with at least 31 civilians and 26 soldiers and police killed on polling day alone in 2009 as the militants displayed their opposition to the US-backed polls.